1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a circuit breaker lock out/tag out (“LOTO”) device that is mounted to a circuit panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many years, safety concerns for operator and maintenance personnel servicing equipment in an industrial setting have been at the forefront of the particular industry and federal and state lawmaking bodies. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has implemented regulations that require employers to safeguard personnel by locking out and tagging out electrical circuit breakers to prevent energization of equipment while it is being serviced. This procedure, when practiced, can prevent serious injury or death to personnel in the vicinity of the particular equipment.
Prior art mechanical devices have been created to prevent movement of the toggle type switch or handle of a modern electrical circuit breaker in the open (off) or closed (on) position. The devices are in the form of clamshells, pins, or some type of moderately hard material that is shaped or designed to mechanically block the toggle from moving. These devices, when attached or put in position can then be stabilized with the use of a locking device, such as, a standard padlock, only permitting movement of the toggle when the padlock is removed and the installation or positioning steps are reversed. The prior art devices have serious drawbacks in that the devices enable locking a circuit breaker in a closed position, and the devices are not integral to the breaker box.
Circuit breakers are designed to move or “trip” to the open position when an electrical current reaches a determined potential. Most standard breakers will “trip” even though the handle may be secured by a prior art device and the circuit protection will be enabled. While locking a circuit breaker in a closed position may be needed in some situations such as preventing vandals from flipping a breaker, this is not useful in an industrial setting. A machine may be damaged or personnel may be seriously injured if an operator is not able to de-energize the machine or sub-system at will.
The prior art devices are also not integral to the breaker panel, existing as discrete devices. These devices are usually kept in a central location in a facility that maintenance personnel will have to retrieve when needed. Production quotas and schedules may prevent the personnel from retrieving the device if a minor repair or alteration needs to be performed. These devices may also be misplaced after use, which will add to the down time of the machine if the employee has to search for the device. Some of these devices are difficult to install and require special training to use.
The lock out/tag out procedure has been in existence longer than the OSHA regulation and is a common-sense approach to servicing a machine. Maintenance workers may have good intentions and are often required to disable the energy source to the particular piece of equipment or subsystem that they intend to repair or alter. Production quotas or managerial pressures may force these workers to forego this basic safety step in order to get the machine back “on-line” if the LOTO device is not convenient.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a lock out/tag out device that is simple to use, cannot lock a breaker in the closed or “on” position, and is built in to the breaker panel for convenient use.